A new CHEAP lighting solution? As powerful as Halides?

[rino0987]

I am overwhelmed by the price of metal halides... I was out side in my shop yesterday and saw a lamp that was sitting in the corner. A 400 watt halogen? would it work because they cost like 10 bucks for a 400 watt one!!!

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=171143-52757-WL500HSP-L&lpage=none

 

[unhpian]

This isn't a good idea for two reasons:
1) 400 watts of MH light and 400 watts of Halogen light are not the same. Metal halide bulbs are much more efficient than halogen - and produce more light for a given electricity consumption - so your 400 watt halogen light may only be equivalent to a 250 watt metal halide.
2) The spectrum will not be correct. If i remember correctly, halogen produces light mostly in the red/yellow spectrum - and is not what you want for a reef aquarium.

 

[GSMguy]

MH is the cheap option... When you get away from MH stuff really gets expensive.

 

[kretzkiller]

those halogen bulbs do not contain the spectrum(s) corals need.

 

[rino0987]

about the expensive comment... It was only 12 bucks! if you could fined a better bulb for it do you think it would work?

 

[1blackchicken]

What you can do it to wire a metal halide ballast to it and put a metal halide bulb in the fixture and I believe that that will work but with the fixture by itself with a halogen bulb it will not work.

 

[rino0987]

hmm... It is just so cheap!!! i bet it would work for a planted aquarium

 

[xinumaster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15034322#post15034322 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 1blackchicken
What you can do it to wire a metal halide ballast to it and put a metal halide bulb in the fixture and I believe that that will work but with the fixture by itself with a halogen bulb it will not work.

MH bulbs is to big to fit inside the halogen fixture. MH socket alone is not gonna fit.

 

[THE ROOK]

This comes up every week or so. Posts always sound like they found the "Holy Grail". LOL. Heck, most of us would love to be able to light our tanks for $12.00 instead of $500-$1000.